Cadillac Records
The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the influential Chicago-based record-company executive Leonard Chess, and the musicians who recorded for Chess Records.
The film stars Adrien Brody as Chess, Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Columbus Short as Little Walter, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf, and Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. The film was released in North America on December 5, 2008 by TriStar Pictures.
Background
Leonard Chess was the co-founder of the 1950s American record label Chess Records, located in Chicago, Illinois.
He ran the legendary company with his brother, Phil, through the 1950s and '60s. The label started selling albums from the back of Chess's Cadillac, and launched the careers of legendary musical personalities such as blues singers and harmonica and guitar players Little Walter and Howlin' Wolf, blues God Muddy Waters, soul legend Etta James and guitarist singer-songwriters Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.
Cast
Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess
Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters
Gabrielle Union as Geneva Wade
Mos Def as Chuck Berry
Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James
Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon
Columbus Short as Little Walter
Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf
Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess
Shiloh Fernandez as Phil Chess
Jay O. Feder
Eric Bogosian as Alan Freed
Vincent D'Onofrio (uncredited) as disk jockey
Production
The screenplay was written by film director Darnell Martin. The filming of Cadillac Records started in February 2008, in Harrison, New Jersey and in Mississippi. Martin directed the film, and shot for Sony BMG Film. Cadillac Records was produced by Andrew Lack and Sofia Sondervan, and co-executive produced by Beyoncé Knowles.
Casting
Originally, Matt Dillon was slated to play the role of Chess, but the role was ultimately given to Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody due to scheduling conflicts with Dillon. Early announcements of the cast also included Columbus Short as Little Walter, Golden Globe winner Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, and Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James.
He also hand picked a group of top blues artists including Billy Flynn (guitar), Larry Taylor (bass), Eddie Taylor Jr. (guitar), Barrelhouse Chuck Goering (piano), Kim Wilson (harmonica), Danny Kortchmar (guitar), Hubert Sumlin (guitar), and Bill Sims (guitar) who along with Steve on drums re-recorded all of the classic blues songs used in the film.
Knowles recorded five songs for the soundtrack, including a cover version of Etta James' "At Last" which was released on December 2, 2008 as its lead single. Mos Def, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, and Eamonn Walker recorded songs for the soundtrack, and Raphael Saadiq, Knowles' sister Solange, Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy, and Elvis Presley also appear on the album.
The soundtrack will be released in single- and double-disc editions.
The month after the film was released, Beyonce performed "At Last" at the inauguration ball of Barack Obama, as he and wife Michelle danced together for the first time as President and First Lady.
The soundtrack spent 36 weeks at number one of the Top Blues Albums.
The soundtrack is nominated for three 2010 Grammy Awards in the following categories: Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media , Beyoncé's "Once in a Lifetime" for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media Grammy Award and Beyonce's "At Last" for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
Release and reception
Theatrical run
The film had its world premiere on November 24, 2008 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. On December 5, 2008, it was released nationally in the United States of America. On its opening weekend, the film opened at Number 9, grossing $3.4 million in 686 cinemas with an $5,023 average. When the film left cinemas in January 2009, it had yet to recoup its $12 million budget; it ended its run with a worldwide box office gross of $8,288,710.
Critical reception
The film has garnered positive reviews.
Rotten Tomatoes reported that 66% of critics gave positive reviews based on 87 reviews. Its consensus state that "What Cadillac Records may lack in originality, it more than makes up for in strong performances and soul-stirring music." Another review aggretator, Metacritic, gave the film a 64/100 approval rating based on 26 reviews classifying that the film has "generally favorable reviews".
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave the film 3 stars and stated in his review that "The film is a fascinating record of the evolution of a black musical style, and the tangled motives of the white men who had an instinct for it." Elizbeth Weitzman of the Daily News awarded the film with 3 stars and wrote in her review, "Writer-director Darnell Martin clearly respects the fact that the history of Chess Records is a worthy subject." Most critics praised the film for its music, but complained about its script.
Jim Harrington of the Mercury News praised Knowles' vocal performance and wrote in his review that, "Beyoncé Knowles' captivating voice and the film's other pluses can't outweigh the glaring omissions from the story line for this critic" and "Chess Records deserves, and will hopefully someday get, a better spin than the one delivered by Cadillac Records."
David Edelstein of New York magazine named it the 4th best film of 2008, Stephanie Zacharek of Salon named it the 4th best film of 2008, and A. http:www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003712722.
"Beyonce, Etta James And 'Cadillac Records' Stars Come Out For Movie's Premiere". http:www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2008&wknd=49&p=.htm.
http:www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2008/12/05/2008-12-05_cadillac_records_takes_a_greatesthits_ap.html.